No. 1 Ball State knocked out of MAC tourney

MUNCIE — The Ball State soccer team finished the regular season 14-3-2 with a 10-1 mark in Mid-American Conference play. The Cardinals hadn’t allowed a goal in any of their last three matches in the regular season. They were on a roll.

But none of that mattered Sunday when top-seeded Ball State hosted eighth-seeded Akron in its MAC Tournament opener. The Zips took advantage of the Cardinal’s missed shots — all 23 of them — and won the game on penalty kicks.

“We need to be a lot more consistent with the finishing,” head coach Craig Roberts said. “You’ve got to convert on those or else you let the game go to where it went to.”

Neither team was able to register a shot in a pair of 10-minute overtime periods. Much like it did in regulation play, Ball State totally controlled the field. The Cardinals put up 1 shot in overtime while the Zips (6-12-1, 3-8 MAC) couldn't add to their total of three shots in regulation.

Ball State goalie Alyssa Heintschel recorded a shutout, her fourth in a row. The Cardinals finished the year with nine shutouts, one shy of the school record.

When it came down to the decisive penalty kicks, the Zips’ lack of control during the game was pushed to the wayside. Akron knocked in four of five attempts, while Ball State notched only three.

Last year senior midfielder Lauren Hall made a deciding penalty kick that sealed a victory over Miami in the MAC Tournament. So Roberts was confident in not only her, but the entire team's ability to come out of the penalty kicks on top.

“... But soccer is sometimes a pleasurable game, sometimes it’s a cruel game,” he said.

Hall's kick went wide left. When it did, she collapsed to the ground as Akron’s entire team rushed toward its goalie, screaming and shouting all the way. They’d just taken out the No. 1 team in the tournament, the same Ball State team that held Akron to no shot attempts in a game just 11 days ago.

While she continued to lay on the ground, her sobs could be heard from the sideline. Hall’s team was a bit slower to come to her side, but soon teammates were lifting her up to shake hands with their victorious opponent.

Afterward, several players walked toward family and supporters on the sideline with smiles on their faces. They were reminded of the season’s high points that include a MAC regular season title and being the top seed in the MAC tournament for just the third time.

The Cardinals set a record for the most wins at Briner Sports Complex in one season, and they fell just one win short of the most victories in a season, which was set by the 2005 team. Since Roberts' arrival, Ball State has taken steps to improve every season.

“I commend the girls for their performance all the way through the season,” Roberts said. “We will come back stronger, and that’s what we’ve been doing for the past six years.”